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Renting in Italy

I have searched for rental companies, now I think asking everyone who has already done this, is the way to go. We will be flying into northern Italy, late September for 1 to 2 weeks on a rental. Probably fly into Milan from Boston. Recommendations on roads, ( Alps for sure), insurance, lodging, bike rental prices etc.2 up riding so a bike with hard luggage is a must. We have not made any firm plans yet, dates can vary a bit, but we want to go when the tourist season is past.

There's nothing so good as John Hermann's books to give you a sense of the roads and their surroundings. Mary and I have ridden in the Alps twice, each time reading his book, marking on maps the roads we found most interesting, and then connecting those roads into a route.

I rented in Sicily. IT was pretty straight forward. Hand over my license for a photocopy (US License didn't seem to matter to them), then pay about 65 Euro for the bike for the day with no luggage. I rented a Weestrom.

Hermanns book

Originally Posted by dbrick

Mick,

There's nothing so good as John Hermann's books to give you a sense of the roads and their surroundings. Mary and I have ridden in the Alps twice, each time reading his book, marking on maps the roads we found most interesting, and then connecting those roads into a route.

My 2 cents: The Alps & the Dolomites are the best riding & my/our fave part of Italy. The cleanest towns,etc., best riding roads, my favorite scenery,so on. I do feel some of the passes are overrated for MC riding as too many 5MPH or less very tight curves(the other part of the Alps makes the passes worthwhile) plus bicycles,buses & tourists in cars to contend with. The Dolemites offer lots of riding much like I get in the Eastern USA with curves & sweepers & elevation changes galore.

"If I had my life to live over, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time...I'd relax,I'd limber up... I would take fewer things seriously...take more chances... take more trips...climb more mountains...swim more rivers...eat more ice cream." Jorge Luis Borges at age 85.

I rented a GS 1150 in Milan from a company called Bianco Blu - http://www.biancoblu.com/. They were great - they let me leave my non-riding suitcase in the shop, gave me a full-face helmet (I brought my 3/4), and were easy to work with. The bike was in great shape and had no issues. Prices seemed comparable...not cheap but not outrageous.

+1 on the Dolomites and surrounding areas. The Stelvio is sensational - it's hairpin-heavy so it's not ultra fast, but a must-see anyway. The Gavia is incredible - fast, tight, rideable, and the rifugio at the summit was a fun place for coffee and b.s. with other riders. Val Gardena is lovely...I stayed in Ortisei 2 nights at a great hotel with superb food that wasn't too expensive. The Passo di Pordoi was amazing - great, fast riding, and a fun tram ride to the snowy summit.